Which Intellivision games have multiple revisions?

[+thegoldenband]

As the title topic asks, which Intellivision games were substantially revised after their initial release, or were available in alternate versions? And how do you know which one you have? The ones I know about are:

 

Space Battle

Consumers found the original version too easy, so when the game was re-released (and moved from the Action Network to the Space Network), they cranked up the speed and/or difficulty.

How to identify it: The revised version allegedly has a blue label, but I don't own a copy with a blue label. My main copy has a red label, and was indeed easy to beat on the hardest setting; I also have a white label copy, which crashes on my INTV II, and a second red label copy which I haven't tested yet. (See also here -- but no blue label is mentioned?)

 

Auto Racing

One version uses "realistic" or "first-person" steering (push left to turn the wheel left), whereas the other version uses "intuitive" or "screen-oriented" steering (push left to go left, no matter which way you're pointing).

How to identify it: Apparently, they're identical in appearance, but the manual was allegedly revised. The Blue Sky Rangers page says that the "first-person" version was released first, but INTV Funhouse says the "screen-oriented" version came first and that there's an Easter egg to enable the other mode. Anyone know for sure?

 

Armor Battle

There are appparently slow-steering and fast-steering versions.

How to identify it: The above link says that you can play it or test an Easter egg; is there a way to tell via label, manual, or box art?

 

There are also less significant ROM variants for Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack, Math Fun, and Chip Shot Super Pro Golf.

 

Any others?

Edited February 2, 2010 by thegoldenband

[IntellivisionDude]

As the title topic asks, which Intellivision games were substantially revised after their initial release, or were available in alternate versions? And how do you know which one you have? The ones I know about are:

 

Space Battle - Consumers found the original version too easy, so when the game was re-released (and moved from the Action Network to the Space Network), they cranked up the speed and/or difficulty.

How to identify it: The revised version allegedly has a blue label, but I don't own a copy with a blue label. My main copy has a red label, and was indeed easy to beat on the hardest setting; I also have a white label copy, which crashes on my INTV II, and a second red label copy which I haven't tested yet. (See also here -- but no blue label is mentioned?)

 

Auto Racing - one version uses "realistic" or "first-person" steering (push left to turn the wheel left), whereas the other version uses "intuitive" or "screen-oriented" steering (push left to go left, no matter which way you're pointing).

How to identify it: Apparently, they're identical in appearance[/url], but the manual was allegedly revised. The Blue Sky Rangers page says that the "first-person" version was released first, but INTV Funhouse says the "screen-oriented" version came first and that there's an Easter egg to enable the other mode. Anyone know for sure?

 

Armor Battle - there are appparently slow-steering and fast-steering versions

How to identify it: The above link says that you can play it or test an Easter egg; is there a way to tell via label, manual, or box art?

 

There are also less significant ROM variants for Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack, Math Fun, and Chip Shot Super Pro Golf.

 

Any others?

 

 

I only know of the ones listed at intvfunhouse.com but i forgot which ones did or didn't. But you may have already checked there?

[+thegoldenband]

Yeah, INTV Funhouse was my main source. I'd forgotten about the Armor Battle variant!

[BrianC]

I know that there is a variant of PGA Golf that lists par and yardage. It was listed for sale at atari2600.com

[Cebus Capucinis]

If I recall properly, grinding them into a fine powder and snorting them will allow you to differentiate between the variants depending on which particular waking nightmare you have while under the influence. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're with close friends who can take care of you, but if you do decide to do it, it's quite a kick.

[+thegoldenband]

If I recall properly, grinding them into a fine powder and snorting them will allow you to differentiate between the variants depending on which particular waking nightmare you have while under the influence. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're with close friends who can take care of you, but if you do decide to do it, it's quite a kick.

Been there, done that. A mirror, a metal file, a copy of Donkey Kong, and next thing you know you're waking up in a Burmese prison, getting poked with a stick of bamboo while the interpreter demands "Tell us everything! Who Green Monkey? Why you climb building to find him? Why you swing hammer at Daw Gyi Khan?"

 

</randomterrain>

[Lord Thag]

You've missed Lock n' Chase. There are two versions, a 6k and an 8k version. You can tell if you have the 8k version by getting killed. If there is an animation of the man collapsing into his hat, then you have the 8k version

 

The change was made because of a bug in the 6k version caused the player to freeze if the disc wasn't pushed just right, resulting in customer complaints. The 8k version fixed this, and added some extra animations. You cannot tell which version you have externally, as both versions are identical in terms of packaging.

[Lord Thag]

Oh, and Math Fun has two versions as well. One forces you to enter the leftmost digit of a problem first, and the second allows the rightmost. The former was created due to customer complaints. Both are identical externally.

[Rev]

i wonder if there is an atlantis 2 for intv

[Cebus Capucinis]

You know, I really love that Random Terrain is such an awesome staple of conversations around here that someone can post </randomterrain> and we all just.....get it. I'm also glad I can post something sorta-kinda-similar to what he would say and everyone knows where I'm going with it.

 

We love you RT.

[thrax]

thanks for the info, i never knew there were 2 kinds of steering for auto racing. I always had the "relative" to car steering which i thought was natural for the controller's disk. I'll be prepared now if i ever play the other version!

[BrianC]

Space Battle

Consumers found the original version too easy, so when the game was re-released (and moved from the Action Network to the Space Network), they cranked up the speed and/or difficulty.

How to identify it: The revised version allegedly has a blue label, but I don't own a copy with a blue label. My main copy has a red label, and was indeed easy to beat on the hardest setting; I also have a white label copy, which crashes on my INTV II, and a second red label copy which I haven't tested yet. (See also here -- but no blue label is mentioned?)

 

The "blue label" is a mistake. The harder version still has a red label, but came in a blue box. I have the harder one and it has a red label.

[+thegoldenband]

The "blue label" is a mistake. The harder version still has a red label, but came in a blue box. I have the harder one and it has a red label.

Thanks for that info. Do you know of a reliable way to tell the difference between the two versions, other than gameplay? Is the copyright the same on the title screen? Or maybe there's a small label variation of some sort.

 

And thanks to all for their contributions to this thread! Looks like we've got a pretty good resource going here.

Edited February 5, 2010 by thegoldenband

[+thegoldenband]

You've missed Lock n' Chase. There are two versions, a 6k and an 8k version. You can tell if you have the 8k version by getting killed. If there is an animation of the man collapsing into his hat, then you have the 8k version

 

The change was made because of a bug in the 6k version caused the player to freeze if the disc wasn't pushed just right, resulting in customer complaints. The 8k version fixed this, and added some extra animations. You cannot tell which version you have externally, as both versions are identical in terms of packaging.

Damn, I just checked, and both of my copies appear to be the 6k version. Another one to track down!

[Tempest]

You've missed Lock n' Chase. There are two versions, a 6k and an 8k version. You can tell if you have the 8k version by getting killed. If there is an animation of the man collapsing into his hat, then you have the 8k version

 

The change was made because of a bug in the 6k version caused the player to freeze if the disc wasn't pushed just right, resulting in customer complaints. The 8k version fixed this, and added some extra animations. You cannot tell which version you have externally, as both versions are identical in terms of packaging.

Damn, I just checked, and both of my copies appear to be the 6k version. Another one to track down!

I heard that the 8K version was never released. I've never heard of anyone actually having it.

 

Tempest

[+thegoldenband]

I know that there is a variant of PGA Golf that lists par and yardage. It was listed for sale at atari2600.com

 

I just checked, and I have this one. It's got a white label that just says "Golf" (not PGA Golf), and when I press the enter key, there's the par and yardage. Cool!

 

Meanwhile, I tried out all three of my Space Battle carts. The white-label still doesn't work (it crashes after the title screen), but both of the red label carts do. It turns out that I have both the slow and fast variants.

 

To be semi-objective about it, I tried timing the number of beeps on the hardest level (push 7 on the keypad at the start) before the ships reached your base at the center. I got the following results, checking each cart twice:

 

Slow cart: 32, 35

Fast cart: 12, 24

 

Obviously there's some variation based on where the ships start out, but the difference is clear. However, the action scenes didn't seem any faster -- only the radar screen appears to be affected (i.e. the time it takes for the enemy to reach your home base). Twelve beeps is not much time at all!

 

Unfortunately, the labels are identical, so I guess the only way to ID your cart is to play it. The fast version is definitely more fun, I think -- my primary copy is the fast version. I'd never played the older slow version, and it's very slow!

Edited February 6, 2010 by thegoldenband

[BrianC]

Thanks for that info. Do you know of a reliable way to tell the difference between the two versions, other than gameplay?

 

A complete one with a blue box? The manuals are different for the different revs, as well. Since the white label came a bit later, that should be the harder one as well.

[+thegoldenband]

Last night I found a site, www.decle.co.uk, dedicated to tracking down these Intellivision ROM variants. I guess there are a lot more than any of us realized! Most of them are just title screen changes and other small variations, but there are a few with more substantive differences, including a bunch of bugfixes for the Intellivision II.

 

The big surprise was finding out that ALL of the four Coleco titles that didn't work on the INTV II were apparently fixed for the Euro market. I believe these were issued under the CBS brand? Two of them are in beige cases, namely Donkey Kong and Carnival. The other two, Venture and Mouse Trap, are in standard cases. (That last link is to INTV Funhouse, as for some reason Decle doesn't cover the Mouse Trap variant.)

 

This was particularly interesting to me, as I recently acquired a sealed copy of Mouse Trap via Ebay (as part of a larger lot), and upon receipt discovered that it was the CBS version, with French-language box art. I'd been planning to sell or trade it, since I assumed it wouldn't work with my INTV II (the only Intellivision I own), but now maybe not! Though I don't collect sealed games, it still makes me wince to open it, but the case is a little smooshed and the bottom corner is torn, so at least it's not in pristine shape.

 

Anyone own the beige Donkey Kong and Carnival carts, and if so, can you play them on your INTV II?

Edited February 7, 2010 by thegoldenband

[Tempest]

Wow, that's a really cool page. Thanks for sharing!

 

Tempest

[4Ks]

I now have a white-label copy of Space Battle, and it's tough as nails.